LAHORE – During a debate on the flood situation in the Punjab Assembly, Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmed Khan held India responsible for the recent devastation, accusing it of imposing “water terrorism” on Pakistan by releasing floodwaters without issuing any prior warning.
He said India had violated international agreements by blocking water at five different points and unleashing water aggression against Pakistan. The Speaker warned that without a comprehensive flood action plan, the situation could become “unspeakable.”
The discussion on floods concluded on the third consecutive day of the session. The Speaker lauded Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz and PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari for their relief efforts, while urging the government to waive electricity bills and agricultural loans of the flood victims.
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Opposition members criticized encroachment groups for building housing societies on riverbeds, which they said worsened the disaster. They stressed that farmers across Punjab had been severely affected.
Provincial Minister Kazim Pirzada, winding up the debate, said the issue would persist until floods were recognized as a national crisis. He clarified that the Irrigation Department had not broken any dams during the floods. “If anyone has complaints against the Chief Minister, they should express them openly,” he added.
Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmed Khan further stated that the government should be declared a disaster-hit state, while recommendations for exemptions and incentives in utility bills would be sent to the federal and provincial governments. He revealed that over two million people had been displaced by the floods.
During the proceedings, the Speaker also informed the House that the Election Commission had announced the disqualification of former opposition leader Malik Ahmed Khan Bhachar. He said a new opposition leader would be selected in consultation with the Assembly Secretary and senior members.
After completing its agenda, the session was prorogued.
